Safety device for screens



fig/4. a 2: V i f ,3 L v 3/ 1 25 3% EDWARD J. COLEMAN, OF SCBAN'TON,PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR SCREENS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

Application filed September 9, 1920. Serial No. 409,173.

L7 '0 all to hem it may concern Be it known that l: EDWARD J. COLEMAN,acitizen of the United States, residing at bcranton, in the county ofLaclzawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Safety Devices for Screens of which the followingis a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

lhis invention relates to safety devices for screens.

in important object of the invention is to provide a device adapted toprevent screens from becoming accidentally disengaged from their guidesand falling from the windows or becoming unfastened from the screenguides.

In the usual construction of rigid screens the screen is provided in itsside ith a shallow groove adapted to receive the outer face of a stripor track secured to the frame of the window. ln order to preventbreaking of the material of the side of the screen, these grooves aregenerally made very shallow and consequently, if pressure is applied tothe face of the screen the screen becomes disengaged from the guides andfalls from the window. An important ob- 'ect of my invention accordinglybecomes to provide means whereby the screen may still be supplied withthe shallow guiding grooves preventing breakage of the sides thereof butmay be so engaged with the guiding strips that it may not be displacedtherefrom by pressure in such manner as to fall from the window.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of thischaracter. which may be moved to engaged and disengaged positions andwhich in the engaged position prevents the removal of the screen andwhen in the disengaged position permits the removal thereof.

@ther objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentthroughout the following description.

In the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration areshown preferred embodiments of my invention and wherein like referencecharacters designate like parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a screen provided with mysafety device.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. at is a section taken on the line it-e of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the screen attached plate.

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the preferred form of my device showingthe side flanges employed to prevent transverse displacement of thesliding plate, and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 6, but of the modifiedform of my device.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10indicates a rigid screen provided in the sides thereof with shallowguiding grooves 11 adapted for the reception of the outer face ofguiding strips or tracks 12, secured to the casing G of the windowproper.

Suitably secured to th upper surface of the screen at the sides thereofare plates 13 having in their outer ends notches 1 1 conforming to theshape of and alining with the grooves 12 in the sides of the screen 10.These plates have formed therein elongated slots 15 extendinglongitudinally of the plate and the metal at the sides of the slot isbent upwardly to form upstanding shoulders 16. and at the same timeshorten the slots 15.

tllidably mounted upon the upper surface of the plates 13 are catches17. These catches provided centrally with a longitudinally elongatedslot 18. The plate 13 has formed therein. an opening Q and a headedsecuring member 19 extends through the elongated slot 18 of the catch 17and through the opening "0 of the plate. lt will be obvious that thecatch 17 is capable of reciprocatory motion longitudinally upon theplate 13.

The catch 17 has formed in the end thereof a notch 20 having a depthcorresponding approximately to the size of the guiding strips 12 whichare usually employed. EX- tending inwardly from the catches 1'? arespring tongues 21, each provided with a foot 22 which engages the uppersurface of its respective plate 13 by reason of its inherent resiliency.The spring tongue extends intermediate the shoulders 16 of the plate 13.

Suitable means are provided in addition to those already described forpreventing transverse displacement of the catch 17 upon the plate 13. lnthe preferred form of my device this means consists in downwardlydirected flanges 23, which engage the sides of the plate 13 slidably. Inthe modified iform of my device the construction is reversed, the pla e13 provided with upstanding flanges engaging the sides of the catch 17as indicated at In the use of my device as applied to the screen when itis desired to secure the screen against displacement the catch 17 isshifted forwardly so that the notch 20 receives the track 12. When inthis position the foot 22 engages in the slot 15 of the plate 13,preventing return of the catch 17 to the withdrawn position due tovibration. will be noted that the shoulders 16 will protect the springtongue 21 against crushingif the screen be elevated so that it eonte tsthe upper surface of the window frame. These shoulders likewise preventaccidents engagement of the spring foot 22 in such a. manner as toaccidentally displace the same from the notch 15 and in addition to thefunctions above, likewise assist in holding the catch 17 in correctlyalined position.

It will be obvious that my device, by re son of the fact that iteffectually prev accidental displacement of the screen such times as itis desired that such displacement shall be avoided and yet is readilyshifted that the screen is released for removal when desired, isparticularly well adapted for use, and it will likewise be oh vious thatthe construction hereinb set forth is capable of some change withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention. I accordingly do not limitmyself to the cific structure hereinbefore set forth, c: as so limitedby the subjoined claims:

1. The combination with creen in the side thereof with .2. shallow 1 tooand a guiding strip slidably engaging in said groove, of a plate securedto the screen provided with a socket, catcli slidahl mounted upon theupper surface of the plate and provided with a spring foot adapted toengage in said socket, said plate a notch formed in the greater depththan the side of the screen.

2. The combination with screen provided in the side thereof with aguiding; groove adapted to slidably receive the outer face of a guidingstrip, of a plate secured to the screen and provided with a slot forminga socket, a catch longitudinally shift ably mounted upon said plate andprovided t outer; end thereon oi? groove formed in the in the endthereof with a notch of greater depth than the groove of the screen,said notch being adapted to likewise receive the guiding strip, flangesextending down "\vardly from the sides of said catch and enaging thesides of said plate, and a spring foot connected with said catch andadapted to engage in said socket.

3. The combination with a window screen provided in the side thereofwith a shallow roove adapted for the slidable reception of re outer faceof a guiding strip, of a memicr mounted upon the screen and adapted bemoved into and out of engaged posiion, said member being n'ovided with an tch of greater depth than the groove of the screen which slidablyreceives the guiding strip when is member is in the engged i osition.

The combination with a screen provided in t is side thereoit with aguiding i adapted to slidably receive the outer ce a guiding strip, or aplate secured to the con and provided with a slot forming a ct, saidplate being provided at the sides f l he slot .vith upstanding shouldersa cat .11 :ongitudinally shiftably mounted upon said plate and providedin the end thereof with a. notch of greater depth than the groove ofsaid screen and adapted to he moved to engaged and disengaged positions,a spring tongue connected with said catch an d extending intermediatethe shoulders of said plate, and a foot formed on the end of d tongue,said catch, when in the engaged position, having the notch thereofslidaljdy receiving the guiding strip, said foot when in the engagedposition being disposed inter- .iediate said shoulders and being engagedin the socket.

5. The combination with a window screen provided in the side thereofwith a shallow groove adapted for the slidable reception of guidingstrip, of a member mounted upon the screen and adapted to be moved intoand out of engaged position, said member being provided with a notch ofgreater depth than the groove of the screen which slidably receives theguiding strip when the member is in engaged position and meansresiliently resisting movement of said in cmher when in the engagedposition.

in testimony whereof I hereunto attix my signature.

SOC

EDXVARD J. COLEMAN.

